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The city echoed with the cries of women, children, and the elderly. White cloth fluttered in many corners, a symbol of mourning. Poor families, unable to afford proper white silk, had torn whatever white fabric they could find and hung it at their doors.
The streets were pockmarked with potholes. It was unclear what had caused such destruction, but the aftermath spoke volumes.
Lu Sheng walked quietly through the city, taking in the devastation. Jiulian City was half-ruined after the battle.
After surveying the damage, he visited the martial arts masters who had once guided him. Fortunately, they had remained alert during the chaos and managed to protect themselves. None had suffered serious losses. Lu Sheng offered them generous silver notes before continuing on to the Zheng household.
Clap.
Zheng Xiangui slammed his hands together.
"Brother Sheng, I'm coming with you! Yu’er and I will join your team, alright? Damn it, this trip is being escorted by soldiers—only someone with the county magistrate’s connections could arrange that!"
Lu Sheng said nothing. He glanced around the Zheng residence—shadows clung to every corner. Clearly, this household had not escaped trouble.
"Just you and Yu’er?" he asked casually.
"Yeah, like your family, the rest have scattered to other cities. I’ve realized Jiulian City is cursed. Even if nothing happens again, one more disaster like the last, and we won’t be so lucky. If it weren’t for you, Brother Sheng—introducing us to Taoist Priest Huan Yangzi—our family would have been ruined."
Zheng Xiangui paused and sighed.
"It’s just a pity about Sister Qingqing..."
Lu Sheng fell silent.
After a moment, he asked, "So... nothing happened to your family?"
Zheng Xiangui hesitated, lowered his voice, and glanced around before whispering, "My eldest brother... he’s gone."
"Well... that might be a good thing for you," Lu Sheng replied flatly. "Since you’re coming with me, I’m leaving tomorrow. You’d better get ready and inform Yu’er."
"Alright!" Zheng Xiangui nodded. They both knew the truth—after what happened in Jiulian City, their families had already planned to relocate. In a larger city, the lawless wouldn’t dare act so boldly. Fires wouldn't be set so recklessly.
After leaving the Zheng household, Lu Sheng returned home and told Xiaoqiao to start packing. He was leaving to study at Dongshan College, a renowned academy in Yanshan City and beyond. Their rules were strict—students weren’t allowed to bring personal maids. So, for now, Xiaoqiao would have to remain in Jiulian City.
After some hurried preparations, Lu Quanan stuffed ten thousand taels’ worth of gold notes into Lu Sheng’s pocket and sent him off with the soldiers ready to depart the city.
Just before leaving, Lu Sheng overheard a rumor—Song Duanchi, the Prefect of Jiulian City, had fallen gravely ill a few days ago. Now, he was reportedly on the verge of death.
Lu Sheng thought back to the massive explosion at Pearl Mansion. It seemed likely that the Prefect had been caught in the fallout. For all his status, Prefect Song was a pitiful man in the end...
They departed at dawn. The sky was only just beginning to brighten.
Lu Sheng stood among the group, his face pale, wrapped in a thick white fox fur coat that enveloped his figure. The fur shimmered softly in the early light—warm, elegant, and clearly expensive. A coat like that could easily fetch thousands of taels in silver.
He gazed quietly at Jiulian City behind him. He might never return again. His father, Lu Quanan, had made it clear: the family would be relocating to a larger city.
"Brother Sheng? What's wrong?" Zheng Xiangui asked, standing nearby with Zheng Yu’er, whose cheeks were pink from the morning chill.
"Nothing. Just... feeling a little sentimental... cough, cough..." Lu Sheng began coughing again. He had pushed himself too hard in practicing the Black Fiend Art, injuring his lung's yang energy. Compounded by overconsumption of yin-cooling herbs, his body could no longer endure it.
The captain leading the escorting soldiers approached.
"Let’s get you back in the carriage, Master Sheng. We’re ready to depart."
Lu Sheng gave a silent nod, casting one final glance at Jiulian City before turning away and climbing into the carriage.
"Let’s go! Let’s go!" Zheng Xiangui called out impatiently as he followed suit.
…………
Yanshan City, February9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95JdU7RBxd
Spring was in the air. The vast fields of winter jasmine outside Yanshan City had begun to blaze with color, their blossoms turning red like clouds set aflame. Countless petals drifted down, blanketing the trees and ground in a carpet of crimson. As each bloom fell, another grew in its place, a vivid cycle of renewal.
In a white octagonal pavilion beside a small river on the city’s southern edge, a group of scholars sat together, all dressed with quiet elegance.
They wore long robes in shades of gray and white. Their hair was tied back neatly with black scarves, and they all held identical folding fans—clearly part of the college’s refined tradition.
"Brother Lu? Brother Lu?"
A lively voice snapped Lu Sheng out of his reverie.
He turned, drawing his gaze away from the hills cloaked in red blossoms, and looked toward the group gathered under the pavilion.
The one who called out to him was Song Zhenguo—a fellow scholar from the north, just like Lu Sheng. Song came from a wealthy family, raised in comfort and indulgence, and had a refined, handsome appearance. He was known for organizing outings and gatherings with like-minded companions, enjoying the pleasures of food, drink, and entertainment.
It was Zheng Xiangui who had introduced him to Lu Sheng. Most of those present were also students from northern cities. Naturally, they had gravitated toward one another during this excursion.
"Brother Song, forgive me. My mind wandered for a moment," Lu Sheng said with a smile.
It had been half a year since he had bid farewell to Yan Kai and the others. Since then, he had made his way from Jiulian City to Yanshan City and settled here for several months without incident.
Yanshan City was peaceful and well-guarded. The Feilian troops patrolled day and night, and for miles in every direction, law and order prevailed. People even left their doors unlocked at night—a far cry from the chaos of Jiulian City.
There were no disasters. No demons. Few deaths. Even the commoners walking in and out of the city wore proper clothing, unlike in Jiulian City, where many barely managed to stay dressed.
Not long after arriving in Yanshan City, Lu Sheng and Zheng Xiangui located Dongshan College and completed their enrollment. It had now been three months since Lu Sheng officially became a student.
In that time, he had slowly recovered from the injuries he sustained while cultivating the Black Fiend Art. Though the damage to his body had been serious, he had finally regained his strength.
Snapping back to the present, Lu Sheng turned his attention to the group inside the pavilion.
The college students were playing a refined game, a variation of Qushui Liushang. A servant would place a wine cup into the stream at one end of the pavilion. The cup would then float along the gentle current until it stopped in front of one of the participants. Whoever it stopped before had to drink the wine and answer a personal question chosen by the others.
In addition to Song Zhenguo, there were five or six other students present—all sons of merchant families. Two young women in white and blue skirts sat nearby, watching the game with quiet amusement. They would occasionally cover their mouths and giggle whenever someone said something especially bold or embarrassing.
One of the women was from their hometown and had a charming, elegant appearance.
The other, named Chen Yunxi, was a native of Yanshan City. She had the soft features of a girl from a modest household and a sweet cherry-like mouth. While her face wasn’t particularly stunning by local standards, her skin was fair, and her figure was extraordinary—long legs, a slender waist, and a graceful posture that drew the eye.
However, such traits weren’t particularly valued in this part of the world. The prevailing ideal here leaned toward petite, delicate women with shorter legs and softer builds.
So, while Chen Yunxi might not have stood out in Yanshan City, Lu Sheng saw her differently. In his eyes, she was a true beauty—especially those long, well-toned legs with their flawless proportions.
As he considered this, he noticed Chen Yunxi’s gaze lingering on him again. Her eyes held a soft brilliance that made Lu Sheng sigh inwardly, a trace of a bitter smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
They had only spoken a few times, all thanks to Song Zhenguo’s introduction. But somehow, those brief exchanges had blossomed into a friendly relationship. The two had continued talking, sharing ideas and observations, and quickly became what one might call close acquaintances.
Unfortunately, things didn’t stay that simple.
At some point, the way Chen Yunxi looked at him began to change. Her gaze became more intense, almost tender—and unmistakably different.
Her eyes kept returning to Lu Sheng, and the glimmer in them was impossible to ignore.
“Brother Lu, Yunxi’s eyes are always on you,” one of the nearby students teased with a playful grin.
“The beauty favors you, Brother Lu! Everyone, shall we drink a toast to celebrate—or punish him?” someone jeered, laughing.
“Miss Yunxi is not only beautiful and kind-hearted, but her family is also immensely wealthy. Her father’s business spans Yanshan City and dozens of nearby cities. If you don’t seize the opportunity soon, Brother Lu, you might regret it!” Song Zhenguo whispered in Lu Sheng’s ear with a smirk.
Lu Sheng merely shook his head and, urged on by the cheers and teasing of the others, picked up the wine cup that had floated to him and drank it in one smooth motion.
He held up the empty cup for all to see, the bottom glinting in the light.
His movements were elegant and composed. Unlike many of the other students, his posture was upright, his physique lean yet powerful. Cultivating martial arts had refined both his inner strength and outer form. His clear eyes radiated a quiet, confident energy that immediately left a strong impression.
Though he came from the remote border town of Jiulian City and didn’t have the elite family background of many others here, his bearing, presence, and spirit made him the most eye-catching person in the group.
After more coaxing and with Song Zhenguo’s subtle arrangements, Lu Sheng soon found himself seated beside Chen Yunxi.
Women in this world were generally open-minded, and so long as they weren’t overly provocative—like Duanmu Wan—no one gave such arrangements a second thought.
Chen Yunxi exchanged a few whispered words with her close friend, then sat calmly for a while. Eventually, under the collective encouragement of the crowd, she and Lu Sheng were “pushed” out of the pavilion together for some privacy.
They walked slowly through the grassy meadow nearby, a peaceful pocket of space just for the two of them.
Morning sunlight filtered through the clouds, and birds chirped merrily. The mountain was ablaze with red winter jasmine blossoms, painting the hills in a vibrant cloud of color.
“They... always love to make trouble,” Chen Yunxi said softly, her large eyes gazing at Lu Sheng without hiding her affection. This wasn’t the first time the group had forced them into a quiet moment alone.
The two continued strolling across the grass, eventually crossing a small hill that blocked them from the sight of the others.
Lu Sheng glanced sideways at Chen Yunxi. She wore a simple white dress, the hem just brushing her thighs. Her knees were bare, her calves wrapped in tall, elegant boots. With her slender waist, ample figure, and long hair cascading down to her waist, she evoked the grace of autumn moons, white orchids, and purity itself.
“They mean well,” Lu Sheng said with a smile.
He wasn’t the type to play coy, nor was he immune to a beautiful woman’s affection—especially not when he was still unmarried. Since she had taken the initiative and he felt no reason to resist, he simply allowed things to unfold naturally.
And perhaps most ironic of all—the thing that stood out the most to him about Chen Yunxi, those long, shapely legs that he found so alluring—was considered a flaw by the local standards.
Thinking of that, he felt a quiet regret for the difference in taste.
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